Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Home stays and cultural exchange programs is a fantastic way to get more out of a trip to Nepal and can be arranged in most areas of Nepal with our 30 Host families. Participants will be placed with a Nepali family in a valley and small rural village for the duration of their stay. This provides the volunteers with an excellent opportunity to immerse themselves in the depth of all aspects of Nepali culture, lifestyle, language, food and people. Volunteers should remember that this is a cultural exchange and that an effort to offer some knowledge of their own home culture and customs to the family with whom they stay is appreciated.

During their stay, volunteers will attend daily language lessons in the morning and in the afternoon. They will also have the opportunity to visit and help out at the local school. Home stay programs are best organized from August to December which is the time when most large local festivals take place. This makes for an overall more exciting experience for the volunteer. Nepali culture is distinctively friendly and open and participants are made to feel as though they are part of the family. VEX Nepal local co-coordinator will be on hand to help the volunteers.